How to Inspect Variables in Python: A Guide to dir(), globals(), and locals()

Exploring Variable Listings in Python

In Python, developers often encounter the need to inspect the variables defined during a computation. This is akin to the listout functionality in MATLAB, which provides a comprehensive view of all declared variables up to a certain point.

To achieve this in Python, there are several approaches available:

• dir(): The dir() function lists the names of all in-scope variables, including global and local variables. Its output can be used to check variable usage and availability.
• globals(): The globals() function returns a dictionary containing all global variables defined in the current environment. This is particularly useful for inspecting variables accessible to multiple modules.
• locals(): Similar to globals(), the locals() function returns a dictionary of local variables defined within the current function or module. This allows developers to examine the variables within a specific scope.

By utilizing these functions, developers can gain insights into the defined variables, their names, and values. This can be invaluable for debugging, exploring data structures, and understanding variable interactions during complex computations.

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